Texas border protection officers seized 5000 dangerous Chinese hair dryers last week, according to an official statement released Friday.
The hairdryers, which were imprinted with “a suspect trademark logo,” were missing parts that protect users from electrocution, an offense deemed to be a “substantial product hazard” under U.S. law.
“This seizure is the latest example of the vigilance and attention to detail our officers pay to protect consumers from imported goods that pose a dangerous risk,” said one Customs and Border Patrol official.
CBP estimated that the nefarious devices would’ve netted $330,000 if they’d made it to market.
One of the seized death dryers
Other recent CBP victories include the interception of threatening moth eggs in Oregon and the capture of invasive beetles in Virginia.
CBP’s proposed budget for the 2015 fiscal year requests $13 billion, a 5% nominal increase from 2014’s enacted budget, noting that “the American people place enormous trust and confidence in CBP to keep them safe.” According to the budget request, CBP is second only to the Internal Revenue Service when it comes to collecting government revenue: “In FY 2013, CBP generated $42.0 billion from duties, taxes, and fees. On average, CBP collects more than $160.0 million on a given working day in duties, taxes, and fees.”
Elsewhere in Texas, private citizens concerned that the southern border has become too porous have formed militias and are detaining those they believe to be illegal immigrants, despite lacking the legal authority to do so. According to the Department of Homeland Security, over 50,000 unaccompanied minors have been apprehended along the southern border since January.